Do something you're afraid of...

A couple of weeks ago, I went to see Alan Ball's new film, Towelhead (aka Nothing Is Private) at Arclight Hollywood. I knew it was a coming-of-age film involving cultural differences, statutory/child rape, puberty and budding sexuality. I knew that it was a potent mixture of electrically charged topics--quite a bit for one film.

I knew that it might be difficult to watch. I knew it might be disturbing. Some people I know haven't seen the film for those very reasons. Some people who did see the film said it made them cry, it made them angry. A handful wanted to leave the theatre, but they couldn't-- they'd become transfixed in Alan Ball's all-too-real story about a Lebanese girl, Jasira Maroun (Summer Bishil) trying to find her place in the world.

The MPAA gave the film an R rating for "strong, disturbing sexual content and abuse involving a young teen, and for language."

Despite all of this, I wasn't afraid. Many times, I think the best movies are the ones that elicit the most extreme reactions from audiences. What makes you squirm? Why does it bother you so much? Have you spied on a neighbor or gossiped about them because you didn't approve of their lifestyle? Have you had feelings about something or someone that you've tried to suppress because your mind tells you it's wrong? Have you had private questions about taboo subjects, but had no one to ask?

Alan Ball poses these questions while pushing all your buttons. He likes to show the dark side of suburbia. He likes to tell stories that unfold in a way that exposes both the beauty and the ugliness of humanity. People can be ugly and racist and hypocritical. We like to put everyone in a box and slap a label on it. We try to make things simple, when in reality, everything is filled with complexity.

See the film even if it isn't a popcorn flick. See it even if it makes you squirm in your seat. Although, it packs a little too much into one movie ( a bit of a detriment to the film), it's an important film because the things that are disturbing about it are disturbing because they're real. We don't want to acknowledge it, but disturbing things happen everyday.

Alicia Erian (novel)
Alan Ball (screenplay)

Towelhead Movie

Copyright © 2008 KLiedle

Supermarket Checkout

As I read the news of all that's happening within the U.S. these days, I worry about the future and wonder if there is any hope. Are we doomed to fall? Is the average American really as stupid as it seems like they are?

When I think it through, my most honest answer is yes-- on both accounts.

Yes, it is possible that the United States of America could fall, much like great civilizations of the past. I've always believed that the rise and fall of nations is a natural occurrence. America is still powerful, but let's face it; we're losing our grip. It's much like aging, we can't reverse the process completely but we can slow it down if we recognize that it's happening. (The same can be said for not only the state of our bodies and our respective nations, but for the planet itself.)

****

LATE LAST WEEK~

Standing in the supermarket line, with coupons in hand, I hear two American women in their forties talking. They're flipping through a junk-foodesque, tabloid magazine. Though brief, what they have to say is frightening:

One woman says to the other, "So and so told me I should vote for McCain because he's a Democrat." Then, she hesitates..."No, not a Democrat, he's a...a...what's the other one? I forget."

The other woman (only half listening) shrugs, "Hmm...I don't know. I heard his 17-year-old daughter is pregnant!"

Every fiber in my being wants to shout to them: Republican. It's Republican, you nitwits!!!! Elizabeth Cady Stanton turns over in her grave as my thoughts carry on: "And it's Sarah Palin's daughter that's pregnant not McCain's! Do you know anything? Anything at all?

These are grown American woman with a right to vote in this country. The most dimwitted of the population are always the ones that reproduce the most so I know they're not the only ones: There many more dumb Americans out there and it's starting to feel like they outnumber the rest of us. It's because of people like this that many of us have a rather dim vision of the nation's immediate future.

Perhaps, it's time to fly the American flag at half-staff in mourning for itself.

Photo by BehindtheLenz/flickr
Copyright © 2008 KLiedle

The Page Setup

"I've been set-up!!!," I scream to my laptop [again.]

As I see the unsettling spinning wheel icon pop up on-screen, I leap into the air and land on my left heel...hard-- hard enough that it takes out some of my frustration, but hard enough that it hurts enough to regret.

In the last several days, I'd spent a lot of time working on what amounted to very little... My only real accomplishment seemed to be the success of the Spinach Rice Gratin dish I made for dinner the other day-- a yummy recipe from a fave recipe blogger at 101cookbooks
and a recipe I'd been meaning to make for awhile.

"And there it spins," I mutter to myself as I crack my knuckles, "the spinning wheel of Macintosh hell..."

I've been working on the page layout and set-up of my first book, Once More, With Feeling.

Unbelievably, Incredibly frustrating!

Writing it, illustrating it, etc. were nothing compared to the abysmal, harrowing experience of getting the layout "print-ready," mostly due to pagination and resolution issues.

Finally, miraculously... when I didn't care anymore and I was about to give up and forget about it entirely: It worked!

(Note: images need to be 300 dpi, manual page breaks are necessary where it really counts especially when graphics are involved...)

Like most worthy things, the end product will be worth the pain eventually. To be honest, I'm more relieved than excited. At this point, I can't forget the all-to-recent pain of the whole experience. (For one thing, my left heel still hurts.)

I'll report back when Once More, With Feeling becomes officially available and then, I'll be excited!

Illustrations credit: Scott Vogel, from my upcoming book, Once More, With Feeling.
Copyright © 2008 KLiedle

September-Fest

A friend of mine just found a worm in her apple -- a sure sign that autumn and apple season is well on its way! I love September -- the cooler weather ( in my hemisphere anyway), autumnal festivals galore, and the beginnings of the grape harvest up North.

It certainly isn't Oktoberfest, but September certainly has quite a bit to offer. I've gotten a list together of some happenings around L.A. and lots of September things I'd like to do. I won't get to them all-- guaranteed-- but I can share them here. Perhaps some of you reading this can experience the things I won't have time for.

September 2008 Happenings In And Around L.A.

-- Julian Grape Stomp Festa
I've always wanted to experience true grape-stomping " I Love Lucy" style. I've never been to Julian, located roughly an hour east of San Diego, but if you're in the area in the next few days, you might want to check this out.
Sept. 6, Menghini Winery, Julian CA. julianca.com

--Lemon Fest
Ahh... lemons...bitter yet sweet and a very good excuse to drive out to Ventura.
Sept. 6-7, Pacific View Mall, Ventura, lemonfest.com

--Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
The Chinese people certainly know how to put together a festival: Witness the amazing spectacle of the opening and closing ceremonies of the recent Olympic Games. Luckily, I don't have to teleport myself to China to experience the upcoming Moon Festival.
Sept. 13 Central Plaza, Chinatown (Los Angeles), chinatownla.com

--Santa Barbara Sand Castle Festival
Sandcastles are always magical to me. They represent the epitome of art that needs to be cherished in the moment since, well, sand castles don't last forever.
Sept. 13, East Beach, Santa Barbara, CA sandcastlefestival.com

--Pasadena Greek Festival
Yes, I know the L.A. Greek Festival is going on this weekend. I went to it last year and had a great time, as I do at every Greek Festival. However, this year, I want to be different so I want to see how Pasadenaean Greeks showcase their stuff.
Sept. 19-21, St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Church, Pasadena CA hellenicfestival.org

--Valley Film Festival
It's not in Hollywood or Westwood or Beverly Hills-- Finally, a film festival in my neck of the woods.
Sept. 24-28. El Portal Theatre, North Hollywood CA valleyfilmfest.com

--Grand Avenue Festival
Sept. 28, Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA grandavenuefestival.org

--An Academy Salute To Akira Kurosawa
Not only can you see a Kurosawa film in its full glory on the big screen, but the Academy is also hosting a rare exhibit of Kurosawa's pre-production film drawings and paintings, which I'm particularly interested in seeing.
Akira Kurosawa: Film Artist (Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences)
Kurosawa Tribute screenings throughout September including the features: Rashomon, Kagemusha, Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo, and Dersu Uzala.
*Film screenings take place at either the Samuel Goldwyn Theater or the Linwood Dunn Theater. See oscars.org for more information.*

So, it looks like I shall be a busy girl in September ( or vastly disappointed with myself if I don't follow through on attending some of these gems.)

Photo credit: Bald Monk/flickr
Copyright © 2008 KLiedle

The Skies Are Limited

Once upon a time, I enjoyed flying. Once upon a time, I flirted with the idea of becoming a pilot or even a flight attendant-- anything that could bring me the allure of those open skies above the Earth.

Flying was a unique experience. There were times when I was more enthused about getting on the airplane than I was about my final destination. I enjoyed pulling down my overhead tray when I saw the flight attendants beginning their descent down the aisle. I enjoyed observing how quickly and fanatically my fellow passengers and I would unwrap our silverware so we could pick at unidentifiable airline food. We ate it-- yet never failed to complain about how detestable the food was, still again.

I endured a series of flights on recent travels to visit my family. I dutifully removed my shoes and reminded myself how much I hate terrorists not only for all the obvious reasons, but also for how they ruined my love of flying. My sense of "flying adventure" has been compromised ever since. First, it was the shoes. Then it was the gels and liquid fiasco which infuriated me most two years ago when a TSA employee searched all my baggage and confiscated a jar of apple butter. I've written about that before. I'm also happiest when I'm fully hydrated, but carrying a bottle of water through security has become something of the past as well.

Every flight is full. The honey-roasted peanuts are a distant memory. After take-off flight attendants are nowhere to be found. Checked baggage costs more. Overhead bins are bulging which irritates those of us, like me, who always travel light and never check a bag. Throughout my flights yesterday, I was forced to check my carry-on at the jetway; they were out of room. I cannot remember the last time I'd ever had to visit baggage claim. It was something I took pride in avoiding. I wasn't exactly looking forward to revisiting that experience-- especially against my will.

During those flights yesterday, not once, did my overhead tray leave its upright position. It irritated me every time they announced that "beverages were available for purchase." I was okay with no food, but no beverage? Come on. A gentleman behind me asked for a "courtesy cup" of water. I turned around with interest to see if his wish was granted.

I wondered, "Is there courtesy left in the formerly friendly skies?"

He was denied. Although, we discovered, ice is still free [for the time being.] I laughed when that same gentleman and his companion toasted their free cups of ice and held them up to their reading lights in hopes of creating water for themselves...eventually.

Without a complimentary beverage to look forward to, I was forced to watch an in-flight movie about all the other things available for purchase in the cabin and in the Sky Mall catalog. I was forced to learn how I could get an airline-endorsed credit card in which I could earn points for all these worthless purchases. That video, by the way, lasted significantly longer than the safety video and was much harder to tune out-- not that I ever tune out the safety video.

These days, I pay attention more than ever. I don't trust the airlines anymore. I secretly wish that the seat that doubles as a flotation device also contained a parachute-- not for emergencies per se, but in case I choose to escape from the suffocating experience of flying that I used to enjoy, once upon a time.

Has the complimentary ice melted yet?

*The author has had a bad experience on nearly every major U.S. airline carrier. She wishes that Air New Zealand flew domestically and hopes that seat cushion parachutes are in the future.*

Photo credit: Darren Hester/flickr
Copyright © 2008 KLiedle

A Tale Of Two Bernies...

On Saturday, I heard that Bernie Brillstein passed away. He was 77. Brillstein was an influential talent manager and producer who had led a career in show business for over fifty years. He started off, like many , in the William Morris Agency mail room. In the late 60s, he founded his first management company—Brillstein Co. In later years, he partnered with Brad Grey to form Brillstein-Grey, a personal management and production company which remains well-known in the industry.

We can thank Bernie Brillstein for his help in launching “Saturday Night Live” and “The Mumpet Show” (which I’d watched countless times throughout my childhood.)
Without him, “Happy Gilmore” and “The Cable Guy” might still be in development hell. Without him, my childhood could’ve been robbed of such goofy, yet fun-loving entertainment such as “Alf” and “Ghostbusters,” both of which Brillstein executive produced as well.

Later the same day, someone told me that Bernie Mac died. “Bernie Mac?” I vaguely knew he had been hospitalized with pneumonia, but the last snippet I’d read said that he was apparently responding to treatment. It was possible, yet unlikely. Rumors….gossip, the beginnings of an urban legend, perhaps. Losing two Bernies, both entertainment giants, in one day? With a roll of dice, the probability seemed against it until—

I turned on the news that evening to hear newscasters reporting the sudden and shocking death of actor and comedian Bernie Mac at age 50. How could a man, so full of life and spirit and talent, be extinguished so quickly? Bernie Mac came from nothing yet accomplished so much in his 50 years. People that worked with him said that he occupied a room, but was huge presence was never intimidating. On the contrary, he was approachable, fiercely funny, and loved by many.

I know this to be true. I used to work down the street from CBS Radford Studios where “The Bernie Mac Show” taped. I know Scott Vogel who occasionally did storyboards for the show. It was always a good gig for him. The cast and crew were always friendly and inviting, he told me. I believed him wholeheartedly because my experience backed that up.

This was also back in the age (not so long ago) when I was still cultivating my espresso talents at one of the local coffee joints. Several crew members from “Bernie Mac” were regulars there. I knew them by name, I knew their drinks by heart, and I also knew that they considered themselves extremely lucky to be working on “The Bernie Mac Show.” I know this to be true because I remember some of the same crew members coming in the day after they learned the show was cancelled. I could see the sadness in their eyes, the look of being lost, unsure of where they or their careers would be headed next. A fantastic chapter in their lives was ending. Those cast and crew members dispersed. Some moved away, some went on to other shows. Yet, this week, they are again united as they mourn the loss of their “Big Mac” leader—the guy that brought himself and that working experience into their lives.

Two Bernies in one day. What are the chances? A roll of the dice and even the best of us, the most spirited, the most talented, the most passionate can be extinguished at any time.

Somewhere in heaven, two Bernies are shaking hands and laughing. And in Brillstein, Bernie Mac just might have met his new agent.

Copyright © 2008 KLiedle
"The Bernie Mac Show" storyboards by Scott Vogel.

The Dwindling State of Newsprint

I know the economy's down. Prices for gas along with groceries have skyrocketed in recent months-- along with nearly everything else.

Another mysterious thing? Packaging.

It isn't my imagination. Boxes of cereal are shrinking and it's not that the "contents have shifted" as they claim. We're getting less cereal for the same price or more. It's happening across the board-- ice cream, too. Half a gallon? No more. Now it's 1.5 quarts. That means the box is melting before the ice cream even hits the freezer aisle.


It's happening with the newspaper, too-- at least The Los Angeles Times. Recently, I recycled nearly 2/3 of the paper-- all ads/classifieds/etc. before I even began to read what little was left.

I know that people are going to the internet in droves for everything from shopping to reading the news and job-searching. I know that newspapers are going through tough times, but every day that the quality goes down and the paper shrinks in size is another day I question whether or not I'm going to renew my "Weekend only" subscription.

At first I thought it was my imagination. Maybe I just didn't get the Los Angeles Times Magazine in the Sunday paper this week. Then, it didn't show up again. Now, I don't even know if it exists anymore. Pretty soon, the Travel section disappeared. Then the coupons dwindled down to nothing. As a reader, I was advised to print free coupons online!-- at my own expense. (With the price of ink cartridges along, doesn't that negate any savings I'd incur?) Most recently, the Calendar Guide that comes out on Thursdays was axed. The Times claimed that it wasn't being discontinued, but instead was finding a new home online.

Well, you know what?

I don't want to go online to read the stupid guide. I don't want to go online to read the entire newspaper. I'm online more than I'd like for many reasons-- many of them out of necessity of living in this wired world. What I like least is reading online for extended periods of time. I detest it. I look forward to times when I can take a walk or hold a book or flip through a newspaper just so I can be away from the computer. I like the look of print on a page. I like the smell of newsprint. I don't even mind the occasional smudged fingers. None of the things that really touch my senses can be replaced by technology. There are some things that still need to be experienced hands-on. There are some things I still need to touch and taste and smell for myself. If that means smudged fingers, so be it.

Photo credit: cat on newspaper by hokiecsgrad/flickr
Copyright © 2008 KLiedle